Means for feeding labels and other articles



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M. F. PHELPs MEANS FOR TBBDIHG LABELS AND OTHER ARTICLES original Filed oct. 1o. v1921 4 sheetssheety 2 Sept. 1,11925.

' M. F. PHELPS 'mums FoljrEDING 'LABELS AND OTHER ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 @riginal 'Filed oct. 1o. 1921 M. F. PHELPS MEANS FOX FEEDING LABELS AND OTHER ARTICLES sept. 1, 1925. l' 1,551,712,

0111111111 Filed oct. 1o. 1921 4.51,'1eets-sheet- 4 Patented sept. 1, 1925.Y

UNITED Asfmrlazs'y PATENT kOFFICE.

MoR'roN F. rHELrs, OFLITTLE ROCK; ARKANSAS, -AssIGNo-R To PHEIQPS ,Nr.aNurAc` '.rUmNG COMPANY, oF LITTLE Roon, ARKANSAS, A. IABTNEItSHIP CONSISTING or FRANK PHELPS .AND MORTON F. PHELPS.

MEANS FOR FEEDING ALABELS AND OTHER ARTICLES.

Application mea october 1o, 1921, serial No. 506,780. Renewed July 2o, 1925.

To all 'whom t may concern.:

Be it known that LVMORTONV F.,PHELrs. a citizen of the United. States, resident of Little Rock, county of Pulaski, and State of Arkansas, have. invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Means for Feeding Labels and Other Articles, of Which the followingV is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to improvements in means designed for-feeding labels toV can-labeling machines. It is, however, adapted and may be used for feeding slips or sheets of paper .or similar material to other machines or devices.

The :inventionV consists generally in the constructions land combinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims. p A Y In the accompanying 'drawings forming part of this specification,

- Figure 1 is a partiyl side elevation and vertical section of thev main elements of a can-labeling machine showing myimproved feeding device arranged in connection there- With, i

Figure 2 is a vertical sectionon line v2 2 L of` Figure 3,

Figure 3 is a` plan view of a portion of the feeding mechanism, some of the parts being omitted for greater v clearness,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectionof the feeding Amechanism, i

Figure 5 is a partial sectionY of a portion of the same mechanism with the parts arranged in different positions,

Figure 6 is a section on line V6 6 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrow,

lFigure 7 is aside elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 6 looking inthe direction of the arrow, Y

i Figure 8 is an elevation ofparts ofthe mechanism, looking in the direction of the arrows,on line 8-8 of'Figure 2.

This label 'feeding mechanism has been.

designed by -vme particularly for use ,in connection with thecan-labeling machine illustrated-andfdescribed in my application for Letters Patent filed in the United States @im @ea-:labelingsessies-With au earlyinvented feeding mechanism in operative relation thereto'.

As 'shown in Figurel ofthe drawings 2 represents the rotatable wheel or drum to which the labels are fed and upon which they are held by the cords or belts Sand 4.' The labels are vfirst wet `as by passing through a bath 2a and paste 1s applied to the labels as by a suitable brush 5. The cans 6 are fed to the machine through a chute 7 and are brought in proper relation to have the moistened and pasted labels wrapped around them. f

My present invention provides mechanism for rapidly feeding the labels from a bunch or stack tothe label-carrying drum, the labels being brought between the cords or wires 3 'and 4 passing inside of one set (3)' and outside of the other set Figuresland2.,

The labels, indicated at 8,'are placedl in a pile or stack in a holder 9 suitably supported upon a `frame 10. Theyl are ar- (4), as shown in ranged in the holder 9 upon a follower 11.-

soY

controlled by the ratchet mechanism hereiny afterdescribed.

Arranged against the inner wall of the holder 'above' the labels is a bar or projectionv'lS vhaving secured therein oneor more sharp pointed pins 19. y I have shown two of such pins in Figure 3 though a greater or V-lessnumber might be used.- if preferred. These pins are held in position by set-screws 20. The bar 18 is carried by a strip 18a that extends down vinside vof, the Wall of the holder, passingthrough a slot 18'.J at the bottom thereof, asshown in Figure 4. This strip has an'end 18c extending outwardl over theupper edge of the holder as shown 1n, Figure 4.A When the follower 11, carrying the` labels .is leweral the bei .and .the strip 18a drop down by gravity until the project* ing end 18c rests on top of the wall of the holder 9. (See Figure 1.) When the labels are lifted the top of the stack strikes the ends of the pin 19. The upward movement ofthe stack oflabels'lifts thebar 18 and at the same time causes the pins 19 to penetrate a few, preferably two or three, upper= labels.

Arranged above thev label holder, near its front edge and extending crosswise thereof. is a roller 21, preferably formed of rubber,

and solocatedthat when the labels aretain their original position in the stack and will not berdisturbed' by the feeding off'of( the toplabel'. l l

The shaft of the roll 21 is provid'edwith a pinion 22 which meshes lwitha gearY 23 upon the shaft ofa roller 24,-located preferably with its axis slightlyI above' the topf ofthe roller 21 (see Figure 5y.. The roller. 24 is preferably located close@ to the upper edge of the holder 9. This edge of. the holder ispreferably provided with van outwardly, inclined lip; 25 ext'endingquite close to thelsurface of the roller. 24. The rolls 21 and'A 24 are geared and rotatetogether. The pinion; 22` being smaller than the gear 23,' the roll 21 is turned faster than the roll 24'.

Above-'the roll21'andincontacti with the roll 24 is a rollv 26, having grooves 27through which thecordsfor wires *4 of the labeling machine. pass, so thatsaid. ro'll 26 driven bythe engagement Ofsaid cords o r wires with said roll'.

If' prefer'to providesuitable castings 2,8, supported on the frame of the machine, at each sidethereof, which furnishedA bearings forH the; shafts of'theroll 21, ,2.4. and A26". (See Figures 3 and 6.)'

The rolls 21 and 24 are driven byA a sprocket chain 29 (Figures 1, 4 and 6), which engages a sprocket'30 upon the shaft' of the roll: 24 (Figures 4 and 7). The sprocket chain29. is preferably driven from one lofthe shafts or rollsof the labeling machine, as indicated by dotted lines in'Figv ure l'.` This sprocketA chain 29 also drivesa, sprocket wheell 3l, mounted', as here shown, in a bearing 32 secured to the frame of the machine (see Figures l, 4 and 5*).

The sprocket wheeli 31'` is preferably provided1 upon its face with a slot. in `which is ino'unted an adjustable' plate 33, carrying a crank pin 34, as shown in Figure 7, which maybe secured at any desired point of adjpins 18;, while the; second'V justment on the face of the sprocket wheel 31. A connecting rod 36 has one end swiveled upon the crank pin 34 and its other end connected to a crank 37 secured upon a rock shaft 38. A crank 39 arranged in the plane of the follower rod12 is carried by the other end of the shaft 38. This crank has pivoted to it a1 dog 40. The follower rod 12 is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 41 ladapted to be engaged (Figure 5) by the end of the dog 40, when the cranks 37 and 39 are moved downward by the connecting rod 36 through rotation of the sprocket wheel 31. A guardplate 42 is arranged to cover that part ofthe ratchet 41 that is immediatelyv below the bottom of the holder 9. This guard plate disengages the dog 4() from the ratchet teeth 41 when the cranks 37 and 39. are in their upper position. The dog `is preferably mounted upon the crank 39 by means of a pin 43; This dog is also provided with a heel' 44, connected by a spring 45 to an arm 46, projecting at anA angle from the crank 39. and; 5'.)

The sprocket: wheel 31 makes a complete revolutionns each ofthe-labels is fed from the stack by the rotation of the rolls hereinbefore described. When the crank pin 34 passes the central point at the top of' the sprocket wheel and begins to move downward the shaft 38 is rocked in the direction of the arrows in Figures 4 and 7 by the crank 37. This movement p'ul'ls the crank 39 downward and" as `soon as the end of the dog 40vclears the guard plate 42 ity engages one of the teeth ofthe'ratchet 41 on the follower rod 12. The further rotative movement of the sprocket 31 carries the crank pin 34 downward and thereby causes the follower 11- to travel` downward in the holder 9, the stack of labels moving with said follower', and the bar 18 moving with sai-d stack of labels until the outturned. end 18c of the strip 18a rests upon the upper edge of the wall of the follower 11. The follower 11 and the supporting stackoflabels, travel downward in the holder 9 until' the crankfpin 34 reaches and passes the lowestpoint in the revolution of the sprocket disc 31. After the crank-pin passes this point and beginsto travel upward the follower rod and follower, with the stack of labels are carried by. the follower, and moved upward by the weight 1.7 until the top of the stack strikes the pins 19 which are caused to penetrate two or more labels near the rear wall ofi the holder, andthe top label is brought into contact with the rapidly rotating roll 21. The rotation of this roll tears the top label away` from the pins 19 and brings the edge of this label into contact with the roll 24. This label will then be carried forward between the rolls 24 andV y26 and moved toward the label- (See Figures 4 v and 4.

f thev roll 21, no matterhow many or how j few, labels there may be in Vthe stack resting on the follower 11'.

I preferto provide a locking dog 47, pivoted upon the frame: of the holder 9 vand provided with a spring 48 arranged to engage a stationary lug 49 carried by the holder frame, and an arm on vthe dog 47. When it is desired to hold the follower against upward movement by the weight 17, as for instanceA when filling the holder with labels, the end of the dog l47 may be swung inward from the position shown by full lines in Fig.- ure 4 tothe position shown'by dotted lines in the same figure, andV the follower can then be pushed down, orpulled down by drawing downward on the follower rod 12, until it reaches the bottom of the holder; One wall of the holder 9 is preferably made removable as indicated in Figure 6, the upper edge of the removable wall being held on position by a hook 9a, and the lower edge being secured by a suitable spring latch 9b. This removable wall forms a door through which the labels may be placed in the holder. The holder may be filled with labels through the door formed by the removable wall and the dog 47 may then be swung out in the direction indicated. by full lines in Figure 4 and the follower will now. be under control of the weight 17 and the action of the dog 40, as hereinbefore described.

Mounted preferably in a central position on the shaft of the .roll 24 isy a sprocket 51 upon which is mounted a sprocket' chain 52 which passes around an idle roll 53 mounted in suitable bearings on the frame of the machine. This sprocket chain 53 is provided with a pin 54, and said chain travels int-he direction of the arrow shown in YFigure 4.

The roll 26 is preferably provided with a centrally arranged groove 55 (Figure 8) arranged to permitthe pin54 to travel by said roll.

, Each label is moved forward asfar as it` can be by the engagement of the roll 24 with the lower surface of said label. Each label is brought by the rollr 24 into a guiding tray 56, supported upon they frame ofk the inachnelend extending Substantially from' the r0ll'24 to a roll` 63 in proximity to the cylinder of the labeling machine and over which roll 63 the cords or wires 3 and 4 both pass (Figures 1 and 2) in themanner fully described in my former application hereinbefore referred to. The sides of this tray are preferably laterally adjustable for the purpose of securing accurate vlateral alignment of the labels withthe cans when the labels reach the labeling point of the machine. One side plate 56 is preferably slightly inclined as shown in Figure 6 and adjustable by means of slotted fastening lugs 57. This plate is permanently adjusted so that one edge of each label slightly rides the incline, tending to force the other edge of the label against the opposite guide plate 58, which positions the label laterally. The guide plate 5,8 is accurately adjustable by means of threaded rods 59 fastened tothe plate and passing through brackets 60. A coil compression spring 61 is placed between the plate 58 and the brackets 60 by means of adjusting nuts 62 upon the rods 59. The lateral position of the guide plate 58 may be adjusted to keep the labels in exact alignment with the cans while the machine is running.

It is desirable to synchronize the movement of the labels as they are being fed into the machine with the other operations of the labeling machine, so that said label will be in proper position, on the face of the drum 2, to properly engage the surface of the can to which the labelis to be applied. It is desirable, therefore, to time the movement of each label as it passes from the roll 24, and I accomplish this timing action by means of the sprocketfchain 52, and its pin 54 hereinbefore described.

It will be seen that as a label passes beyond the roll 24 it will be picked up by the moving pin 54, which will engage the rear edge of the label, and the label will be car-y `thereby against the face of the drum, which position it will maintain during the wetting and pasting operation, and until the front edge of the label is brought into contact with the can to which the label is to be applied. By this means the spacing of the labels on the face of the drum is absolutely uniform. The labels are each moved one at a time by thepin 54 on the chain 52, from theY feed rolls to the point where they are gripped by the cords or wires 3 and 4. The

operation of this part of the machine can,

therefore, be synchronized with the feeding.

of the cans so as to have the action properly timed to produce the accurate application of the labels tothe cans.l

It will be understood that while I have, as hereinbefore stated, designed this label feeding mechanism particularly for use in feeding-labels to the can-labeling` machine shown and describedin my said prior application, the, label feeding` mechanism is of general application and may he employed Wherever it is desired to feed slips or sheets of paper to machines of any kind, and for any purpose.

I donot limit myself, therefore, to the details of the construction herein shown and described nor to the use of the mechanism with` a can-labeling machine, or any other specific machine.

I," claim as my invention:

1;. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a sheet holder and a follower arranged therein adapted to support a4 pile or stack of sheets, of means for alternately raising and lowering said follower and the sheets supported thereon, a bar arranged near the rear Wall of said holder and provided with engaging pins arranged to pierce a plurality of sheets at the top of the stack, when said stack is elevated, and feeding means engaging the top sheet ofthe stack, drawing` it away from said pins, and feeding it from said holder.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a sheet holder and a follower arranged therein adapted to support a pile or stack of sheets, of means for alternately raising and lowering' said follower and the sheets supported thereon, gravity actuated perforating` means engaging` the rear portion of the top sheet of the stack, and feeding` means engaging the top sheet of the stack and drawing it free from said perfonating` means and feeding it from the stack Without disturbing the other sheets of the stack.

In Witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of July, 1921.

MOR-TON F. PHELPS. 

